Tying and tufting machine.



ELERA FTING MACHINE.

S. A.MI

TYING AND TU APLGATION FILED PEILZ, 1907. 986,019, Patented Mar.7,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S. A. MILLER.

TYING AND TUFTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Imm, 1907.

986,019 Patented Mam, 1911 3 SHEETS-SHEET s. A. MILLER. TYING AND TUFTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB.2, 1907.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WZweSseS;

A in which it is narran srarns retrasar onirica.

.'SIIIASA.. IllIILIrER,` OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 JAMES P.

, i WHEDON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

TYING AND TUFTING MACHINE.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

TocZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SILAs A. MILLER, of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new, useful, and ling and Tufting Machine, following is a full, clear,

Improved Tyof which the and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same. f l' My invention relates to improvements in machines for tying and tufting mattresses, upholstery and various articles of the kind desirable or necessary to connect opposite sides of the work or article by a plurality of cross ties.

y invention further and particularly relates to an improved mechanism for automatically applying tufts to the articles as they are tied.

Further and particularly my invention relates to improvements upon the looping and tying machine, which is shown and described in United States Letters Patent, No. -7845749 granted March 14, 1905. The present invention being inthe nature of an addition whereby tufts are made at theends of the loops or cross ties formed in the operation of said patented machine.

' The purpose of this inventionis to provide a durable and efficient means or mechanism for Asimultaneouslytying and tufting Inattresses, pads, upholstery and the like. And a particular object of the invention is to provide a tuft feeding mechanism which shall be adapted for employment upon and in connection with not only theaforesaid patented machine, but other machines of the kind which'are now in use or may be devised' hereafter..l p

My invention consists generally in a complete mechanism adaptcd to loop or tie' and tuft mattresses and the like in a rapid and eiiicient manner and at low cost. y

Further my invention consists in a mechanism of the class named which comprises compression means in combination with sewlng and'v tying or knotting means and a tuft feeding device or devices operable in connection therewith to apply tufts beneath the loops lor knots of the cross ties of mattresses and tire like.

My invention also consists in agmechamsm for use upon or application to a tying and knotting machine, which Vmechanism is adaptedto supply tufting material to said machine in the form of a tape or ribbon, small portions of which being cut off form the desired tufts.

Further objects of my pear hereinafter.

y invention will be more readily understood by reference to Vthe accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a partial front view of a looping, tying and tufting machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, is a side elevation thereof upon a somewhat enlarged scale, this view being taken substantially on the irregular line X-X of Fig. l, viewed in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3, is a vertical section of the mechanism for feeding the invention will aplower ribbon of tufting material; viewed from the rear'of the machine, substantially on the line Y-Y of Fig. 4, with all of the internal operating devices retained; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower tuft and feeding mechanism; and Fig. 5, is a detail sectional View on the lines Z`Z of Fig. 1.

In setting forth my invention herein I have shown the same in the form which I prefer when applying it to the aforesaid patented machine; the co-acting parts of the latter being shown in their to the t-uft feeding mechanisms.

Referring to the drawings, l, represents a portion of the threader head or case of said patented mattress tying machine, and' 2, the presser foot thereof, the latter containing the knotting mechanism, a portion, 2', of which shows through the opening, 2, in the pressure foot.

3 is the presser foot guide, frame of the machine.

4.-4 are the tw'o thread drawing needles, of the .patented machine, by which the a part of the,

thread, cord or a narrow tape is taken from i the threader head and drawn up through the mattress to be knotted by the mechanism in the presser foot, 2. These several 'parts and mechanisms are of such well known construction, that it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the-same in detail and f I-have shown only so much thereof as is required to explain the relations and operations of the tufting mechanisms.

5 denotes the work plate upon the upper part of the threader case or head upon which the mattress or other" article to be tied and nism. In operation, thesemechanisms are tufted is placed. Both the presser foot, 2, and the threader case are equipped with novel mechanisms for feeding tufting inaterial, which material is in the forni of .a

' broad tape or ribbon. The ribbons are wound upon suitable reels on respective feeding mechanisms and the mechanisms operate to feed the ends of the ribbons to the work plates of the threader head and presser foot,Y z'. e., into the path of the needles. The mechanism further operates to sever the ends from the ribbons and thus form small pieces or tufts which are pierced by the-needles andare fastened to the mattress by theA knotted loops yof thread formed bythe needles and coacting mechanisms.

The mechanisms, which as above stated are connected to or mounted upon the presser foot and the threader case respectively, are substantially identical in construction and in manner of operation, the only practical differences being in the members which I use for actuating them. The tuft feeder upon the presser foot will be hereinafter referred to as the upper mechanism, and'that upon the threader case, as. the lower mechaso timed that during the up stroke of `the presser foot, both the upper and the lower mechanismsffeed the tufting material forward to the tying mechanism. The upper mechanism cuts off a small portion of the tufting material upon the rst part of its down stgoke; and the lower inechanisin`cuts` oil a like portion from its ribbon before the needles are retracted and before the presser' foot rises.

The uppermechanism is attached tothe presser foot, 2, and moves up and down therewith. The lower mechanism is attached to the threader head which is .stationary. As clearly shown in the drawings,

'the two mechanisms occupy relatively angular, divergent positions, each being set at an angle of substantially 4:5 degrees to the part to which it is attached. The tuft feeding mechanisms thus positioned do not materially interfere with the compression of the mattress between the parts, 1 and 2, and permit the mattress to be moved or fed freely when the presser foot is in raised position.

Each' tuft feeding mechanism comprises a tape or ribbon guide, a reciprocating gripper device for intermittently feeding said ribbon-forwardly, a devicefor preventing back movement of the tufting strip during the retraction of the gripper, means for cutting the' strip or ribbon into short lengths and suitable actuating means.

Referring to the low'er mechanism, 6-6, indicate the ribbon-guides mountedupon a suitable frame secured to the threader'case; and 7 the r'eel of tufting material bracketed upon said' frame in alinement with said Continuations of the ribbon guides are yan eccentric 14, mounted upon the shaft, 15,

esac-1e -a grooveft, within which the edges of the strips are held. As stated, these gi'ooved strips 6, occupy inclined or angular positions with respect to the thieader head and their upper ends are curved, as at 8, to present the tufting material to the cutting and tying mechanism upon a horizontal plane.

formed on the presser foot andwork plate as shown in Fig. y 9 indicates a reciprocating feed lever or yoke, mounted upon the. frame astride of the curved' upper ends of the guides 6. `The guides6 are spaced apart and the cross member of the yoke 9 is provided with a depending boss or lug 10, which forms one aw of a clamp or gripper of which the foot, 1l, upon a lever 12, forms the other jaw'.` The lever, 12, is mounted upon a rod 13, within the yoke 9, and is actuated by a suitable mechanism in such a manner that the presser foot, 11, is relieved from cooperation with the lug, 10, upon the .back stroke ofthe yoke, but is firmly pressed. into cooperation therewith, clamping the strip of material therebetween, during the forward stroke of said yoke. The yoke, 9, is reciprocated by means of journaled in the frame and driven by suitable means. Thc shaft 15, is preferably driven from the same shaft which drives the mechanism of the threading case. Accordingly, the last. mentioned shaft is extended through the case and is provided with 'a bevel gear, 1, which .'.ieshes with a similar gear, 1", mounted. oula stud shaft y journaled in the feed mechanism frame. The opposite end 'of the stud shaft is pro ie vided with a spur gear, l5il which meshes with a pinion on the shaft, '15. An eccentric rod, 1 6, connects the eccentric, 111-, with said yoke, and the same is operatively connected.v to the presser foot, 11.

17, indicates a short link pivotcd at one end to the'eccentric rod, 16, and at the other to'an arm, 18, rigidly mounted upon a rock shaft, 19, bracketed in the frame. The rock shaft, 19, also carries an arin,20,adjnstably li secured thereto. The outer end. of the arm, 20, and the end ofthe lever,'12, are connect ed by apitman, 21, provided with a` suitable lostmotion device.

By referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that as the eccentric turns in the direction of the arrow, the yoke 9, is reciprocated and that the gripper jaws 10,11, open on the back stroke. of said yoke and.. close on the forward stroke. To prevent backward movement of the strip of tufting material, I provide a clamp which holds the strip near its forward end during lthe retraction or back motion ofthe yoke, 9. This comprises a foot 23, formed upon one end of'a short lll) two armed rock lever, 26, pivoted upon a shaft,- 27, mounted in the frame. AAThis isA equippedwith a suitable lost motion device;

During the back motion of the yoke, the foot, 25, 'is pressed upwardly against the strip ofmate'rial, irmly holding the same against the bottom of ljaplate, '30.- A

' The plate, 30, constitutes a part of the cutf ting device, whereof a portion of the work plate constitutes the other.' The plate, 30, is mounted upon-aframe, 3,1, pivoted upon the frame of the` feed mechanism, -coaxially with the rock lever, 26, and is provided with a rigid arm or lever, 32, which is actuated by a cam, 33, secured upon the shaft, 15. By actuating thelever, 32, the frame, 31 and plate, 30, are rocked, as shown in Fig. The cam, 33, is so timed that the edge, 34'of plate 30, is depressed prior to the rising of the presser foot, 2. The forward edge, 34, ofthe plate, 30, and the adjacent edge of the work plate, 5, form coacting shearing edges which cutoff a small portion of the tufting strip each time the edge, 34, is depressed. A spring., 35, maintains the plate, 4'30, in-normal position cam, 3

The upperI mechanism is in every way -similar to the lower mechanism, with the exception of the means for driving t-he same. This mechanism, as a whole, is`vertically reciprocated, hence it cannot well be driven from a fixed sha-ft, as in the case of the lower mechanism. I provide means whereby intermittent rotation is imparted to the shaft 15, by the vertical reciprocation of the mechanism. To this end I. provide the shaft, 15, with a mutilated gear, .40, which meshes with and is operated by a pair of racks,

41-42, arranged upon a suitable bracket attached to the frame of the machine, in the path of said gear.' The racks 41-42, are so arranged in relation to-Yeach other and to the gear, 40, that upon the upward travel of the mechanism, the rack, 41, imparts half a revolution to the shaft, 15, which actuates the mechanism to feed the tufting strip forward and on the down stroke, the rack 42,

imparts yanother half revolution to the shaft,

which cuts ofi" a small portion of the strip of material and returns the gear, 40, to its proper position to be engaged by the rack, 41, on the next succeeding upward stroke. To prevent less or more than a half revolution of the shaft, 15,' I provide the same with a notchedcollar heart cam, 43, which is engaged. by a spring Apressed pawl or dog, 44,

mounted upon a prpjectionor lug formed upon the'shaft bearing, 45

The operation of the machine herewith 'shown is as follows: The reels of tufting material being placed upon the machine, the rubens are threaded through the guide, 6,

except when actuated by the stroke of the presser foot the lower lever, 9

until their free ends lie in the horizontal extension guides r receivers upon the stationary or threader case and the presser foot. The ma-y chine'is thus prepared for operation. Y The mattress, piece of upholstery or other article to be'tied and. tufted, is placed upon the threader head, after which the presser foot is permitted to descend and compress the mattress between vthe two members. The tuftinn material having been previously vpositioned upon said mattress 1s at this momovable' members, to-wit, the

ment ready to receive the needles andthe thread.- The needles, descending, pierce the upper tutt and 4passing downward through the compressed mattress, pierce the lower tuft. yThe mechanism wi-thin the head, 1, threads the needles and the needles, upon ascending, draw. .the thread upward tln-ough the tufts and mattrcss,'the knot being tied by the mechanism in the presser foot. The latter operation having been accon'iplished, the presser foot-rises to free the mattress or other article. v

During the normal operation of the machine, `the sequence of operation is as follows, it being assumed that the presser foot is in its elevated position, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1; the first movement will be the beginning of thel downward stroke ofthe presser foot.- This carries the mutilated gear into engagement with the rack, 42, causing, a half revolution of the shaft, 15, which causes the cam, 33, to act-nate the lever, '32, to cut oil' the portion of the tufting ribbon, previously positioned within the horizontal extension of the tufting'strip guide, z'. e. the tuft receiver on the presser foot. lhe presser foot continues to descend and compresses the mattress tightly between the same and the threader head, after which the needles .descend piercing the mattress and the tufts thereon. inasmuch as the end of the upper tufting strip has been cut otf,tl1e needles in pressing the same have no tendency to drag upon the strip of material and overfeeding thereof is avoided. During the descent of the presser foot both end levers,

9, are retracted ready to feed the strip ofl material forward again upon the upstrokc of the presser foot. The needles continue to descend until they pass into thethrcading case or head, where they receive the thread.

In rising, themutilated gear, 40, engages the rack, 15, whichl actuates the feed lever, 9, together with the gripping jaws, 10 and 11, toV feed forward the'strip into proper position to be pierced by the needles in the next down stroke. The lower mechanism is so timed that during the period of the upand its. gripper are actuated to feed the:I lower strlp forward. The mattressisthen shifted l e'proce'ss repeated asjust descr1bed.', f

members, containingcoacting sewing mechanisms, in combinationwith a tutt mechanism on each said member, each said tuft severing sections of comprising relativelymovable compression I mechanism.comprising a fiat ribbon'guide and .ribbon feeding and cutting mechanism, the ends of said guides forming means for ribbon, substantially as described. l'

2. The herein described improvements,

comprising relatively movable compressionv members, containing a sewing mechanism, in

combination with hat grooved ribbon guides thereon, intermittent ribbon feeding mechanisms'and suitable ribbon cutters co-acting with said feeding mechanism to restrain the ribbon; together adapted to compress, tuft, and tie a mattress or the like, said ribbon guides forming members of said ribbon cutters to cut the ribbon in advance of the tying Operation, substantially as described.

3. The improvements g herein described,

members having ribbon grooves, in combination with co-acting lthreading and tying means, .provided in and operable between said members, relatively convergent flat ribbon guides upon said members, intermittent ribbon feeding mechanisms and ribbon end vhus described my invention, I.

cutters upon said members, said ribbon guldes forming parts of said ribbon cutters to cut sections of ribbon in advance of the operation of said threading and tying means, substantially as described.

4. The improvements herein described,

comprising relatively movable compression members, in combmation with co-acting threading and tying means, provided in and operable between said `members, relatively convergent fiat ribbon guides upon respective members, respective intermittent ribbon feeding mechanisms and ribbon cutters intex-posed inv respective guides and successively operable, said ribbon guides forming members of said ribbon cutters, substantially as described.

5.-The improvements herein described comprising relatively movable -compression members, in combination with co-acting threading and tying means provided in said members, flat ribbon guides upon respective members,` the ends of said ribbon guides forming means for severing a section of ribbon from the main body, as and for the purpose specified.

n testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 24th day of January, 1907, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

' SILAS A. MILLER.

1 Witnesses:.

-A. W. Nnnson, l

M. SIMON. 

